1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a weaving welding method permitting a weaving welding based on simple technique.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a consumable electrode type arc welding robot, it is known to carry out weaving welding by moving the welding torch of the robot along a weld line while weaving the same within a groove of a workpiece in a direction traversing the weld line. In doing this, it is necessary to determine the plane in which the distal end of the welding torch is to be moved (hereinafter referred to as the weaving swing plane). Conventionally, the weaving swing plane is determined by giving the start and end points of a desired weld line coinciding with the center line of the groove and another point which is off the desired line, or by giving the desired weld line and the angle to be defined between the desired weld line and the weaving swing plane. This process, however, is complicated. If the desired weld line includes a plurality of sections of straight lines and/or arcs, the weaving swing plane must be determined for each of the sections, thus increasing the complexity. Further, if a deviation of the desired weld line from the center line of the groove occurs due to a machining error of the workpiece, a setting error of the workpiece relative to the robot, thermal distortion during welding, etc., the actual path of the welding torch, i.e., the actual weld line, becomes misaligned with the center line of the groove even though the welding torch is driven along the desired weld line. In such a case, the welding direction may be corrected to compensate for the deviation of the actual weld line from the center line of the groove moreover, this is not enough to achieve an accurate welding because the weaving swing plane has already been determined for the individual sections of the weld line.